1935 Martin 0-17T Tenor Guitar



(Serial No. 60218) The early 30s were something of a magical time for the instruments being constructed in Nazareth. It seems that Martin and Co. had really hit their stride in building steel-string guitars; and to many, the instruments built in the ealy 30s represent the apex in all things acoustic guitar. This is a delightful 30s tenor guitar. All hardware and finish is original. The tenor guitar was initially developed in the mid to late 1920s. Tenor guitars enabled players of the four-string tenor banjo to double on guitar without having to learn the six string guitar. The tenor guitar can be considered to be a transition instrument between Dixieland banjo and the six string swing guitar, particularly as it started to outpace the tenor banjo in popularity towards the end of the 1920s. The usual tenor tuning is CGDA, but I tune tenor guitars to octave mandolin tuning (GDAE), which brings out more of the warmth, low end, and overtones the instrument has to offer. This guitar has a clean fundamental, excellent upper mid-range presence, and a beautiful sustain. It has a throaty mid-range when hit hard, and pretties up under a lighter attack. The guitar is in excellent minus condition showing some minor playing wear. These small body all mahogany Martins are great for blues, with that warm sound only a mahogany top will give. Has the scalloped bracing and the larger neck of the 1930s guitars with a 23 inch scale, bar frets, and a 1 1/8 inch nut. There is one minor back crack on the lower bout that was repaired and a ding on the top near the sound hole but thats about it. It does have the usual nicks and dings of a guitar used to play music for decades. Neck has the typically slightly beefier profile that is the hallmark of the best 30s 14-fret Martins. Has the original ebony nut and the original clip point tuners. Plays great with a nice low action and has a huge sound all out of proportion to the small size. This guitar has a full and deep dry voice with enough of a push in the midrange to keep any ragtime picker happy, but plenty of warmth and openness across the strings to satisfy a melodic single note picker. It offers that thunderous response in the bass-end, and a sweet and well-rounded treble. Comes in the original soft case!

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